Sara asked, “Is it that bad, Jake? Did your father murder someone else before he killed your mother?”
“No. It’s not that bad, but you’ll understand why it has to be kept between us.”
“Alright.”
Jake took in a deep breath then said, “Even before I stepped on board the riverboat to come back to Fort Benton, I couldn’t understand why my father would even hurt my mother, much less murder her. As harsh and dominating as he could be, he never once raised his hand to her or me. After Dave Forrest described how loud they had been arguing, it became even more puzzling. I knew I had to find my father and make him face justice for what he’d done, but even more, I wanted him to tell me why he’d killed her. I knew that he couldn’t justify it, but I needed to know.
“When I visited Mister Wright to ask him about the ownership of the ranch in case my father suddenly returned, he told me of something that my father had done just prior to the argument. Do you know the Mr. and Mrs. Kemper?”
“I visit the bakery often. I know that Mister Kemper vanished a couple of months ago, but I usually talked to Mrs. Kemper when I stopped by.”
“I don’t know her at all. What is your opinion of her?”
“I like her quite well. She’s very friendly to everyone. Her husband was very surly, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that he was even more so when he was alone with her. I’m sure she’s relieved that he’s gone.”
Jake wished that Sara had given him a much more negative assessment of the woman, but he still believed in his theory. Maybe she had seduced his father and asked him to kill her husband. She was certainly attractive enough to entice him.
“Maybe her husband didn’t just disappear. Maybe my father murdered him first before he killed my mother.”
Sara was startled as she exclaimed, “Why do you think that your father murdered Mister Kemper?”
“Because it makes sense, Sara. I believe that my father and Mrs. Kemper were having an affair. Either Mister Kemper discovered them together or Mrs. Kemper asked him to kill her husband because he was beating her.”
Sara stared at Jake in disbelief without comment as she waited for him to expand on his shocking theory.
Jake only paused for a few seconds before he continued, saying, “Jerome told me that just days before he murdered my mother, my father asked Mister Wright to pay off the mortgage on Mrs. Kemper’s bakery and to deposit five hundred dollars into her bank account. My father was hardly a compassionate man, Sara. What other reason would he have for being so generous?”
Sara quietly replied, “I didn’t know your father well enough to answer your question, Jake. Did you ask Mrs. Kemper after visiting the lawyer?”
“I walked into the bakery, but when I saw her, I realized that I might lose my temper, so I just turned around and left town.”
“I’m surprised at you, Jake. You rode hundreds of miles trying to find your father but wouldn’t even enter a bakery to ask a woman a simple question.”
“It was hardly a simple question, Sara. It was a keg of gunpowder question. I guess I really didn’t want to add adultery to my father’s sins.”
“But you have already done that, Jake. You put adultery on the list beside murder without even giving your father the benefit of a simple investigation. Tomorrow, after you visit the bank and before we see Reverend Faraday, you’ll ask Mrs. Kemper why your father helped her. Do I have to drag you into the bakery?”
Jake couldn’t hold back his grin as he shook his head and replied, “No, ma’am. I’d rather face Mrs. Kemper’s wrath than your disappointment.”
Sara smiled as she said, “Good. I’ll have you well trained by next week. At least you know what you’re getting into before marrying me rather than discovering the real Kay when it would be too late.”
“Speaking of your sister, how is Kay doing? Did you talk to her?”
“We had a nice chat, at least from my perspective. She finally accepted the fact that I will be Mrs. Elliott and she would become your sister-in-law and nothing more.”
“That’s a relief. It may not have been one of my bigger concerns, but it’s one less that I need to worry about.”
“I think we need to go to the chow house. I have the impression that they want to talk to you before they turn in for the night.”
He glanced through the window and was surprised to find that the sun had already set.
“I didn’t know it was this late already. Let’s go chat with the boys for a few minutes.”
He stood, then took her hand before they walked out the back door and headed for the chow house. Jake hoped they kept their ribald comments to themselves while he was with Sara.
_____
After the surprisingly short and respectful visit with the men, Jake and Sara returned to the ranch house. While Jake lit a lamp, Sara took a seat at the table. They hadn’t discussed sleeping arrangements, and she was waiting for Jake to broach the subject.
Jake set the lamp on the table before taking a seat beside her and saying, “I’m surprised that you haven’t told me you expected to join me in my bed already, Sara. You’re losing your standing as a blunt woman.”
Sara laughed then replied, “I wanted to hear your opinion on the matter.”
“So, if I say that I want to consummate our marriage before the fact, you’d happily agree?”
“I’m not going to give you an easy
